Takaichi's Economic Security Playbook for the Quad+

What happened

In 2026, Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi advanced economic security agendas with Quad members (US, Australia, India) during visits to Washington (March), Canberra (May), and New Delhi (July). She also established a 'Quad+' framework with partners like Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and South Korea focusing on supply chains, critical minerals, and energy.

Why it matters

This approach gives the Quad a practical focus on economic security and creates a 'Quad+' framework to maintain cooperation amid shifting US priorities and regional uncertainties, distinct from a political bloc expansion.